Cooper, Gary

People > Cooper, Gary

Gary (Frank James) Cooper was born on 7th May 1901 in Helena, Montana, USA. His father, Charles, was part of a Bedfordshire family. Gary's grandfather, John, lived at Manor Farm, Tingrith, and his father was born at the White House in Houghton Regis.

Charles emigrated to the USA when he was 19, where he met and married Alice Brazier. They had two sons, and when in 1910, Gary's mother was advised to take a sea voyage for her health, she went to England with the boys.

Gary went to Dunstable Grammar School (now Ashton Middle School). They stayed with relatives Mr & Mrs W.H. Barton, High Street North, on the corner of Waterlow Road. During the weekends the boys stayed with relatives in Houghton Regis and regularly visited the local church. Gary and his older brother Arthur were baptised together in December 1911 at Houghton Regis parish church. The boys returned to the USA in 1913 (although some sources dispute this) with their mother, but Gary returned on visits to Dunstable in 1932 and 1936 and in the 1950s.

Gary Cooper died on 13th May 1961 in Los Angeles. He had been suffering from prostate cancer. During his career he won 2 Oscars, for Will Kane in High Noon (1952) and Sgt Alvin York in Sergeant York (1941).

There is a plaque showing where Gary lived in High Street North, while attending Dunstable Grammar School. The inscription reads:-

Dunstable Town Council

Gary Cooper
Film Star
and
Dunstable Grammar
School Pupil
lived here
1910 - 1913

Sources:

• Dunstable in detail, by Nigel C. Benson (Book Castle, 1986)
• The Internet Movie Database
• The Gary Cooper Scrapbook

 Gary Cooper, by Bedfordshire Libraries, 2012

Page last updated: 24th January 2014